Aircraft



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 26, 1924. v

G. F. MYERS AIRCRAFT Original .Filed Aug. 23 1909 N mwwn INVENTOR We); J Maya/0% WITNESSES:

ATTORN EYS.

Feb. 26, 1924. 1,485,349

G. F. MYERS AIRCRAFT Original Filed Aug. 23, 1909 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSIES: I INVENTOR S Awaq A kk w 'arqeflan cm" 711 er'J,

ATTORNEYS;

Patented Feb. 26,1924.

,nan

GEORGE FRANCIS MYERS, NEW YORK, N. Y.

Application fi led August 23, 1909, Serial No. 514,165. Benewed'February 18, 1920. Serial No. 858,434.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon FRANCIS MYERS, a-citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,-have invented new and useful Improvements in Aircraft,

outerside of the flat head of the ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to .a flying machine and has the object to provide improved means for stabilizing the machine, and to improve the machine in several details of construction.

In the accom anying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a flying machine embodying my improvements. Figure 2 is av top plan view thereof. Figure 3 is a frag-' mentary perspective view showingthe stabilizing means.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

'The constructionof the aircraft is substantially and preferably as follows:

The main frame or body of the machine has thegeneral form of a hollow or tubular horizontal cylindrical body which is provided with conical front and rear ends and comprises a plurality of transverse circular gird-- ers 1 arranged axially in line, a plurality of longitudinal girders 2 connecting the several circular girders at diiferent parts of their peripherles, and front and rear heads 3, 4 w1th which the front and rear'ends, respectively, of the longitudinal girders are connected.

In order tocomplete the conical formation at each end df the frame a conical nose them.

If desired, a skin or. coverin may be applied to the outerside of the rame to profeet the parts within the frame, which covering may be trans arent' either wholly or in part to permit 0 looking either into the frame or out of the frame without necessitating removal of the covering.

Near the front, rear ends-and the center of the frame the same carries front, rear and central sets of planes 27 ,-whereby the' machine is raised in the air. Each of these sets of planes contains two complete upper and two complete lower planes which extend transversely above and below the frame, and a divided intermediate plane the sections of which are "arranged on opposite sides of the frame, on masts or' uprights 34.

The'operator is able to turn the planes of each set in one direction or the other for causing the machine either to rise or descend 1n the air by means of two cords or lines 37 38 connected with diametrically opposite arms on the ivot rib of one or more of the planes and eading to the operators compartment which is arranged near the center of the frame and provided on its bottom with a seat 41 for the operator.

In addition to tilting'th'e planes at different angles the lifting effect of the same may be varled by flexing the front and rear edges of each planedownwardl and presenting a curved concave face or si e to the wind.

49 represents a air of propellers which move the machine orwardly and which are mounted on brackets 50 projecting laterally from opposite sides of the machine in rear of the foremost set-of planes. The motor 51 for driving the propellers is preferably arranged within the main frame between the operators compartment and the propellers and may be operatively connected with the latter in any suitable'manner. This motor is preferably of the internal combustion or hydrocarbon type and its gasolene su ply or liquid fuel tanks 52 are arranged a ove the same within the frame. Suspended from the underside of the main frame near opposite ends thereof are two asolene storage tanks or reservoirs 53, 54 Irom which the gasolene may be withdrawn as required and delivered to the supply tanks 52 .by means I of a ump 55 in the operators compartment. By t is means the weight of the main supply of gasolene is distri uted over the length of the main frame and prevents unbalancmg the machine.

56 is the upright rudder for steering the machine which is pivoted verticall to the rear part of the main frame and bi urcated, so that it can straddle the conical rear, end

of the frame or body, as shown in Figure 1. lhe pivot of the rudder is provided on diametrically opposite sides with arms 57, which are connected with cords 58 leading to the operators compartment to permit the operator to turn the rudder as desired.

For the purpose of enabling the operator while seated in his compartment to observe the space ahead of the machine without necessitating turning his head toward either side of the machine two mirrors 59, 60 are employed one of which is mounted at an angle in the frame in the front part of the operators compartment while the other is arranged on top of the frame, the angular relation of these mirrors being such. that the scene in-front of the machine will be re flected by the upper mirror 60 above the frame to the lower mirror within the frame and thus be visible to the operator while looking straight ahead, as shown. These mirrors are pivoted on supports carried by the main frame, so that the mirrors can be adjusted to various angles desired and may be held .in position by making the pivotal joints sufiiciently tight that the mirrors are held frictionally in their adjusted position.

One of the important problems to be solved, in aerial navigation, is that of the stability of the aerodyne, both as regards its longitudinal axis, and transversely; i. e., to keep it from itching and rolling.

The means 5 own for maintaining stability of the machine while flying in the air are constructed as follows 61 represents lateral extensions of the main frame arranged in rear of the central set of planes. On the outer part of these frame extensions are mounted two sets of stabilizin planes or wings 62, 63 which are pivoted ingthwise of the machine and adapted to operate in opposite directions.

The outer set 62 contains two planes which are arranged one above the other and are pivoted at their upper edges, so that their axes incline downwardly from their front ends toward their rear ends while the other inner set 63 contains two planes which are arranged one above the other and are pivot.- ed at their up er edges, so that their axes incline upwarddy from their front ends toward their rear ends.

Normally both sets of stabilizing planes are in a vertical pendent position and do not afi'ect the flight of the machine. If the machine should turn downward abnormally at one side on that side of the body the outer planes 62 are turned outwardly, so that their undersides incline from their front ends downwardly to their rear ends whereby the wind acting against these sides tends to lift this side of the machine. If the machine should turn upward abnormally at one side on that side of the body the outer stabilizing planes would be lowered into a pendent position and the inner stabilizing planes 63 would be turned inwardly, so that their upper sides would incline from their front ends upwardly toward their rear ends and thus cause the wind operating on the upper sides of these planes to depress this side of the machine.

These planes for stabilizing the craft may be operated either manually or automatically. In the drawings means are shown for automatically shifting the stabilizing plane to right the machine and comprise a 1011- gitudinal shaft 64 which may be driven by the motor 51 or otherwise and which is provided with a main driving bevel gear wheel 65. 66 is a transverse shaft'capable of sliding transversely of the machine and provided with oppositely facing driven bevel gear pinions (i7, 68 which are adapted to engage alternately with opposite sides of the main gear wheel 65. 69 is a shifting sleeve loosely mounted on the transverse shaft between'said gear pinions. 70 is a pendulum or weighted lever pivoted at its upper end on the main frame to swing vertically crosswise of the body or frame and having its lower part pivotally connected with the shifting sleeve. 71, 72 are drums arranged on opposite ends of the transverse shaft, cords or lines 73 passing with their intermediate parts around guide pulleys or wheels 74 on the frame and wound at one end around the drum Tl in one direction while their opposite ends are connected with arms 74, 75, secured respectively to the downwardly inclined outer strbilizing planes on one side of the machine and the upwardly inclined inner stabilizing planes on the other side of the machine. 76 are cords or lines passing with their intermediate parts around guide pulleys or wheels 77 on the frame and wound at one end around the drum 72 while their opposite ends are connectedwith arms 78, 79 secured respectively to the upwardly inclined inner stabilizing planes on one side of the machine and the downwardly inclined outer stabilizing planes on the other side of the machine. I

When the machine is flying on an even keel the pendulum-is arranged in its central position and both bevel gear pinions are out of mesh with the main or master gear wheel. If, however, the machine careens or lists toward one side or the other, the movement of the pendulum in the same direction causes one of the gear pinions to be moved into mesh with the main gear wheel, so that one set of shifting cords are wound up on one drum and the other set of shifting cords are unwound from the other drum, whereby the outer downwardly inclined stabilizing planes on one side of the machine and the inner upwardly inclined planes onthe opposite side of the machine their vertical inoperative position. Whenthe machine careens or lists toward the oppos te side the automatic-shifting mechanismoperates to turn the other stabilizing planes from their pendent inactive position into their lateral active .position for righting the machine, the parts being again restored to their norma position after such righting has been efiected in the manner described. 1

For use in warfare the flying machine is provided with a cannon 800 on rotatable carriage 81.

90, 91 represent wheels arranged below the front and rear parts, respectively, of the bod and each pivoted on the lower end of the ower vertically movable main slide 92. a V

In order to aid'the front and rear wheels in supporting the machine and prevent the same om tipping sidewise auxiliary supporting means 100 are provided.

As my invention is in some of its aspects generic I do not limit myself to the'particnlar construction shown or described, but also contemplate the employment of such equiva- 'lents as fairly fall within the scope of the claims. I

Therefore it will be understood that various changes may be made in the form, proportion, size and detail of the several structures shown, the number and positionof certain elements used, as well as the character of the motive poweremployed, without departing from the spirit of the invention. a

' I claim as my invention:

1. A flying niachine comprising a body, a stabilizing plane connected with the said body by a pivot which inclines downwardly from its front end to its rear end len hwise of the machine, and a stabilizing p ane which inclines upwardly from its front end to its rear end lengthwise of the machine.

2. A flying machine comprising a body,a pair of stabilizin planes one connected with the said body by a pivotwhich inclines,

' downwardly from its front end to 'its rear end lengthwise of the machine, and another one of which inclines upwardly from. its front end to its rear end lengthwise of the machine a pair of the said stabilizers be ing mounted one on each side of the longl- J tudinal center line of the machine.

A flying machine. comprising a body,

and two sets of stabilizing planes each setfrom its front end to its rear end len which has a longitudinal pivot inclining downwardly from its front end toward its rear end and a plane on the other side of the body which has a longitudinal pivot inclining upwardlyfrom its front end toward its rear end the planes of both sets on the same side of the said body having their pivots inclined in opposite directions. I

4. A flying machine comprising a body, a stabilizing plane connected with the said body by a pivotwhich inclines downwardiy wise of the machine, a' stabilizing p ane which inclines upwardly from its front end to its rear end lengthwise. of the machine, and means for moving either one or the other of the said planes from its vertical inactivev to its laterally projecting active position relatively to the said pivots thereof.

5. A flying machine comprising a body,

two sets of stabilizing planes, each set having a plane on one s1de of the body which has a longitudinal pivot inclining downwardly from its front end toward its rear end and a plane on the other side of the body which has a longitudinal pivot inclining'upwardly from its front end toward its rear end, the planes of both sets on the same side of the said body having their pivots inclined in opposite directions, and

as I

means for shifting either set of the said stabilizing planes into operative position independently of the other set;

6. A flying machine comprising superposed aeroplanes, upri hts connecting and spacing the same, an a plurality of reversely operable stabilizers mounted one on each side of the longitudinal center line of the machine and each presenting but one of its sides to the impinging air at an angle one above and one below the horizontal.

7. An aeroplane provided with lateral stabilizing vanes on eachside, mounted on fore-and aft extending pivots oppositely inclined to the horizontal, and means to simultaneously .move .the vanes to opposite angles of incidence, said means being normally vertical.

8. In combination with a flying machine, I

of a car of tubular shape mounted normally at a zero angle of incidence, an aeroplane elongated transversely and normally inclined to the horizontal, a plurality of stabilizers comprising smaller aeroplanes mounted one on each side of the longitudinal line of the said car and pivoted on axes oblique to a vertical line said axes standing upwardly and backwardly in faflplane substantially parallel to the line 0 ght and normally outof action, means for placing the said stabilizers in action, and connections between the said stabilizers whereby the same may be operated simultaneously and reversely automatically. j

9. A steering devicefor aeroplanes, con- Memes axis standing upwardly and backwardly in a plane substantially parallel to the line of flight, and operating means for the said rudders.

Witness my gust, 1909.

GEORGE FRANCIS MYERS.

Witnesses:

THEO. L. Porn, ANNA HEIGIB.

. 15 hand this 19th day of Au- 

